Spain top FIFA rankings as Brazil slip to 6th

ZURICH, Switzerland -- European champions Spain retained top spot in the latest FIFA World Rankings published Wednesday with beaten finalists Germany moving up a place to second.

An all-European top five sees world champions Italy drop to third, followed by the Netherlands and Croatia, who jumped two places to fifth for their highest rank since reaching the 1998 World Cup semifinal.

Brazil are the leading South American nation in sixth, down two slots to the five-times World Cup winners' lowest position in 15 years, with Argentina dropping one to seventh.

Euro 2008 semifinalists Russia move up one place to 10th -- their first appearance in the top 10 since 1997. France drop two places to 12th.

A total of just 30 international matches were played worldwide in July, so the rankings were more affected by older historical results dropping out of consideration.

Cameroon are the top African nation in 15th place, a fall of two places, while the United States leads CONCACAF countries in 31st. Mexico are next at No.32, a drop of 13 places to their lowest status since the rankings were created in 1993.

Japan head the Asian confederation nations in 35th place, and New Zealand lead the Oceania countries at No.111.

New Caledonia were the biggest improvers, up 10 spots to No.116, while Vietnam fell 41 places to stand at No.165.

The top 25 in FIFA's world rankings (previous month's ranking in parentheses):

1. Spain (1), 1,557 points.

2. Germany (3), 1,343.

3. Italy (2), 1,320.

4. Netherlands (5), 1,299.

5. Croatia (5), 1,282.

6. Brazil (4), 1,242.

7. Argentina (6), 1,219.

8. Czech Republic (8), 1,146.

9. Portugal (9), 1,122.

10. Russia (11), 1,023.

11. Romania (12), 1,021.

12. France (10), 1,012.

13. Turkey (14), 1,010.

14. England (15), 1,003.

15. Cameroon (13), 994.

16. Scotland (16), 988.

17. Bulgaria (17), 930.

18. Greece (18), 896.

19. Ghana (20), 892.

20. Israel (21), 876.

21. Egypt (24), 851.

22. Paraguay (25), 820.

23. Colombia (23), 816.

24. Uruguay (22), 813.

25. Ivory Coast (28) 802.